Signal device for automobiles



4 Dec. 4, 1928.

1,694,345 H. L. LE BLANC ET AL SIGNAL DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed June 18, 1923 S Sheets-Sheet 1 lrlvemors lillebhnct/i Beaudoin Mar ey Dec. 4, 1928. 1,694,345

. H. L. LE BLANC ET AL SIGNALDEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES & 56

a4 ;f;35 F1216 3 3 Q I F15 7 F1216.

Patented Dec. 4, 192 8.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRI LOUIS LE BLANC ANTI.) HECTOR BEAUDOIN, OF EAST ANGUS, QUEBEC, CANADA, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO ERNEST LEON LESSARD, OF DISRAELI, QUEBEC,

CANADA.

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR AUTOTVIOBILES.

Application filed June 18,

The present invention relates to signal devices for automobiles, and more particularly to devices of the type in which an arrow or the like is provided which is movable to various positions to indicate the direction in which the car or other vehicle is about to travel.

The invention resides primarily in the pro vision of improved means or mechanism. for

efiecting the adjustment of the arrow or other indicator to one or another of its several positions, and for locking said indicator in such position and thereafter releasing it when a new change in direction is about to be made, all as hereinafter fully described.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automobile equipped with a device according to the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged diagrammatic view of the signal device and controlling mechanism.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through the casing, of a modified form of the signal op" erating mechanism.

Figure 4: is a side elevation of the modified form of the controlling mechanism, the casing having been removed.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the signal controlling mechanism, showing same in its upward vertical position, or in position No. 1.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of the signal controlling mechanism, showing same in its left horizontal position, or in position No. 2.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of the signal controlling mechanism, showing same in its downward vertical position, or in position No. 3.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view of the signal controlling mechanism, showing same in its right horizontal position, or position No. 4.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic View of the signal operating mechanism, here illustrated in position No. 1.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

Referring to the drawings 1 is the base plate of the control member preferably mounted on or adjacent the dash board of an automobile, and provided ad- 1923. Serial No. 646,216.

jacent its periphery with a plurality of contacts 2 interconnected by means of the elec trical conductors 8, and 4 is a battery connected at one side to said electrical conductors 3 by means of the electrical connection 5 and suitably grounded at 6 at its other side. Located intermediate of said control member 1. is a ratchet 7, the number of teeth on said gear being equal to the number of contacts and 8 is a check pawl adapted to engage said ratchet. On said ratchet is pivotally mounted the contact arm 9 which at its outer end adapted to engage with said contacts 2, said arm 9 being electrically connected to the magnets 10 by means of the electrical conductor 11 at its inner end. The magnets 10 are preferably mounted on the base 12 and located within a casing 13 (see Figure 1) the said casing 13 being preferably secured on the hood or radiator of an automobile or in the rear, as the case may be. The magnets '10 are grounded at 113, and 14: is an arinature lever pivotally mounted at 15 at one end and carrying at its other end the pawl 16, said pawl co-acting with the ratchet 17 mounted on the shaft 18, on which shaft is also mounted the indicating arrow 19. A spiral spring 20 normally presses pawl 16 against said ratchet 17, and 21 is a spiral spring which tends to move the armature 14 away from the magnets 10. The number of teeth on the ratchet 17 should preferably be equal in number to the teeth on the ratchet 7, so that who i a circuit is made through the medium of the contact arm 9 with one of the contacts 2 and the magnets 10, the ratchet 17 will be turned an equal number of steps.

In Figures 3, 1, 5, (S, 7, 8 and 9 of the drawings, a modified form ot more elaborate construction is disclosed. to operate the indicating arrow.

In this modified construction of the in vention, the controlling element 22 consists of two uprights 23 suitably distanced from one another and connected by the cross bar 2 1, on which latter are mounted at suitable intervals the contact lingers 25.

Above said cross bar 24 is mounted a revolving drum 26, which is provided with a plurality of contacts 27, said contacts being adapted to engage with the fingers 25 so as to move the indicating arrow into different positions,,as disclosed in the diagrammatic Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8. The drum 26 is preferably mounted on the shaft 28 which is mounted in the uprights On one end of said shaft 28 is preferably mounted the sleeve 29 which is preferably slidable on said shaft 28 and ke ied thereto, and on one end ot this sleeve is mounted the elongated handle 30, and on the other end the contact disk-shaped member 8' The said contact member 81 normally held a vay from the drum 26 by means of the spira sprin;- 32 interposed between said drum and said member 31. To operate said contact member 2-31, the handle Si is prcierz b 3' pushed into the position indicated in otted line in Figure it. thus carr ine the said member 3i into engagement wi the contact members 33 which are l either side 0 s tact members 53 being; connected to inc nit tery 31- (See Figures 5, (3. T 8) by means o the electrical conductor 1-55, while the other contact member 33 is connected to the con tact member 36 (see Figures t3, 7, S).

The above described control member 22 is preie ably located on or adjacent the dashboard of the automobile, and the motor 37 operating the dir cting arrow is PlQ'iQl'ttbl) located on the hood, radiator, or in the rear of the automobile, as "found most suitable.

The motor 37 is prefe ably mounted within the casing 38, and 39 is a shaft cent-rallv journalled in said casing, and upon which is mounted the armature l0. The ari'nature i0 is preferably connected to the central finger 25 by means of the electrical conductor marked A, said conductor first entering the compartn'ient ll located at one end of said casing; 38, in which is mounted the coil 42 to which said elect-ri al conductor A is connected the said electrical con luctor connecting the brush holder 43, upon which is mounted the brush 4st which contacts with the armature mounted on the shaft 39.

The field coils Figure 9) are suitably electrically con iected in seies by the ele trical conductors l 2, 3, and '-l respectirely. Each of said co: ductors is connected respectivel; to one of the lin located in the controllin mechanism when one of the contacts 27 is brought into position to bridge one of the contact lingers and the contact member as by means of the handle 30, a circuit will be closed tlat will revolve the shaft 39 into the position disclosed in the ccrresponding one of the diagrammatic Figures 5 6, '1' and 8.

When the circuit is broken, the coil or magnet 42 is (lo-energized, and the friction plate or member it) which is located within the compartment 41 and forms the armature of the coil, is released, and the pins 47 ca" ried by the 'said member is will be pushed out by means of the spiral springs 4L8 from the holes 49 provided in the partition 50. The friction plate l6 preferably co-acts with the plate 5i (which preferably of less cone5 ductivc material} rigidly in muted on the shalt 39 said plate 51 having a plurality oi lugs engaging corresponding recesses at} in the plate it). broken, the lugs he shixrt- T3 or e end oi the shaft r; m d a 1-, ca rying a socket- C5 in wider ma be inserted an electric bulb "t' which contacts with the outer t shatt; 35) and it? is a brush c:

intactingr v-"th sa'ii diet W e brush l r. \ler ably connect in the draw ed to a bat by means o electrical co iductor oh. the socket: is mounted the indicatingarrow tit) which revolves with said socket in) the colla and shaft lYhat we claim as our invention is:-

1. A di ction-s gnal mechanism comprisa ca e, a shaft journalled for rotary i 1 herein a compartment at one end of the casin the outer wall of which is e shatt, an indicator exterior c id oi the casing and connected to rotate with the shaift, a motor within the o casing; for rotating salt shaft to move the indicator into any selec 'ed one )i a plin'alit of (littei'ent predeterm ned positione and a lock operating autonnitically to hold said shaft against operation while the motor is statioimrv and to release it when the motor is started, said lock en bod 'ing' an electromagnet aranged concentrically oi 1c shatt ano connected with the lliGtOL studs on the inner surface of the outer wall o" pertinent, and a metallic )l i mounted in the compartn'ien'c 'nd i cesses normally cnga tuds t adapted l net hen th re magnet, pins cxte i;

c a it in tallic plate and M bl moun ed i 'or guiding; an iporting tl e plate.

d i 3 arranged a n iat the pins and ensioned to normali; hold the plate in e11- ga e'cinentwith ti 4:- outer wall it the compartment but adapted to rcssed when the magnet is cnerg 'zec iUD OIN. 

